Screw-driver.



A. WHISLER.

SCREW DRIVER. APPLIIUATION IILED JUNE 13, 1908.

Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

3 V/IIV/ 4 A W j drawing.

ALBERT WHISLER, OF BURLINGTON, KANSAS.

SCREW-DRIVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 9, 1909.

Application filed June 1a, 1908. Serial No. 438,371.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ALBERT WHISLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at.

Burlington, in the county of Coffey and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Screw-Driver, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in screw drivers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of screw drivers, and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one e uipped with jaws for .engaging the head 0 the screw and movable inwardly and outwardly to vary the distance between'them to adapt the device for engaginiglscrews of different sizes. 1

A rther object of the invention is to provide a tool of this character, having a screw driver blade adjustable simultaneously with the screw-engaging jaws, and adapted also to project beyond the same to enable the tool to be used as an ordinary screw driver;

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departin from the spirit or sacrificing an of the a vantages of the invention.

11 the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a screw driver, constructed in accordance with this invention, the jaws being 0 en. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, t e aws being closed, Fig. 3 is a detail view of t e outer portion of the tool, illustrating the manner of gripping a screw. Fig. 4. is an enlarged transverse sectional view, taken substantially. on the line 4-4 of Fig. ,2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the screw driver blade. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the jaws and the spring thereof. Fig. -7 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the 1 designates a barrel or casing of tubular form, secured at its inner end to the reduced portion 2 of, a ta ering shank 3, which is secured within a ongitudinal opening of a handle 4, whereby the barrel or casing is connected with the same. The shank 3 is secured to the barrel or casing by means of a rivet 5, but any other suitable means may be employed for fastening the reduced end of the shank 3 to the inner end ofthe barrel or I casing.

The outer end of the barrel or casin which receives an adjustable screw driver lade 6 and a pair of screw-engaging jaws 7, is rovided at opposite sides with longitu inal slots 8, forming ways for guiding the side portions of the screw driver blade in the, inward and outward movements thereof, whereby the said blade is. held a ainst rotary movement independently of t e barrel or casin 1. The slotted outer ortion of the barrel or casing is embrace by metallic bands 9 and 10, which reinforce the barrel on casing and prevent the slotted portion from spreading under the strain incident to driving a screw; The bands 9 and 10 also prevent lateral movement of the screw driver blade.

The jaws, which are'constructed of spring metal, are secured at their inner ends to the outer end of a connecting rod 11, by means of a rivet 12, or other suitable fastening means, and the outer engagingv portions of the jaws, which are arcuate, are provided at opposite sides with notches 13 to receive the opposite edges of the head of the screw, whereby the jaws are adapted to 'securely grip the screw and'prevent the same from accidentally falling from the tool. The screw-engaging jaws are moved inwardly and outwardly in a direction longitudinally of the barrel to open and close them, the jaws being automatically spread by means of a pair of springs 14, secured at their outer ends to the jaws at the inner faces thereof and having their inner portions free and arranged at an angle to the said jaws and adapted to bear against the screw driver blade. The jaws are automaticall retracted or withdrawn within the barrel or casing to the limit of their inward movement by means of a coiled spring 15, disposed on the connectin rod 11 and secured at its outer end 16 to t e same and having its inner end 17 secured to the barrel or casing. The coiled s ring may, however, be arranged in any at er manner for moving the connecting rod inwardly. The jaws are moved outward against the action of the spring by means of a sleeve 18,

slidablo on the inner portion of the barrel or casing and connected with the inner end of the rod 11 by means of a transverse pin 19, or other suitable fastening device. The pin 19 operates in lon itudinal slots 20 of the barrel or casing of the sleeve 18, which is provided with a milled flange or portion 21, and is adapted to be moved outward away from the grip or handle of the tool for spreading the screw-engaging jaws; W hen the screwengaging jaws are moved outward with relation to the barrel or casing, their outer orjaws are being adjusted to operate on screw heads ofdifferent diameters. During the first portion of the outward movement of the jaws, the blade is carried by the springs through their gripping action, but as the jaws gradually s read or open, the griplping action is diminis ed until the springs re ease the screw driver blade, which has its. outward movement completed by the rod 11.

This causes the jaws and the screwdriver blade to assume the position shown in Fi 1, when the sleeve is moved outward. en the jaws are drawn inward by the coiled spring, they carry the screw driver blade 6 with them, and the inward movement of the blade is limited by the inner end walls of the slots, which form solid abutments for the screw driver blade. The screw driver blade isprovided at opposite sides with recesses 22, forming inner shoulders and having beveled or angularly disposed side faces. The shoulders are engaged by the springs 14, which positively move the screw driver blade ,inward. When the jaws are at the limit of their outward movement, the outer end of the connecting rod abuts against the screw driver blade and the engaging outer end thereof extends sli htly in advance of the screw-engaging notc es 133, so as to project into the groove of a screw 23 engaged by the jaws, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. In this position the free ends of the springs 14 are located beyond the shoulders of the recesses 22 and do not engage the same until the jaws are drawn inward a sufficient distance to cause the outer engaging end of the screw driver blade to project beyond them to enable the tool to be used as an ordinary screw driver. The screw driver blade is movable or adjustable longitudinally of the tool simultaneously with the the head 0 screw-engaging jaws in order to maintain its head inthe proper position with relation to the screw-en aging notches for engaging a screw gripped by the jaws. The inner ends of the screw driver blade abuts against the.

outer end of the connecting rod during this adjustment, so that both the jaws and the blade are positive in their engagement with the screw.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A tool of the class described including a barrel or casing, screw-engaging jaws movable into and out of the ca'smg, a screw driver blade also movable inwardly and outwardly to maintain its proper position with relation to the jaws, operating mechanism connected with the jaws, and sprin s interposed between the jaws and the blade for automatically spreading the jaws and for engagin and moving the screwdriver blade inwar with the jaws.

2. A tool of the class described including a barrel or casing, screw-engaging jaws movable into and out of the *casin a screw driver blade also movable inward y and outwardly to maintain its proper position with relation to the 'aws, operating mechanism connected with the 'aws and springs extending longitudinally oi and faces oi the jaws and having free ends engaging the screw driver blade to-s read the jaws and also to actuate the screw river blade.

3. A tool of the class described including a barrel or casing, jaws movable into and out of the barrel or casing, operating mechanism connected with the jaws, a screw driver .blade arranged between the jaws and movable into and out of the casing to maintain its roper an yielda and for engaging the screwdriver bla e to move the same simultaneously with the said aws. J 4. A tool of the class described including a barrel or casing, jaws movable into and out of the barrel or casing, operating mechanism connected with the 'aws, a screw driver blade arranged between t e aws and movable into and out of the casing, and ieldable means for spreading the jaws and or engaging the screw driver blade to move the same simultaneously with the said jaws, said yieldable means ermitting the jaws to move independently o the screw driver blade a limited distance.

' 5. A tool of the class described including a barrel or casing, jaws movable into and out of the barrel or casing, operating mechanism secured to the inner position with relation to the jaws,

le means for spreading the 'aws connected with the jaws, a screw driver blade arranged between the jaws and provided with shoulders, and s rings interposed between the jaws and tile screw driver blade and adapted to spread the former, said springs being secured to the jaws and arranged to engage the shouldersof the screw driver blade to move the same with the jaws.

6. A tool of the class described including a barrel or casing provided at its outer portion with opposite slots forming ways, bands embracing the slotted portion of the barrel or casing, a screw driver blade slidable in the slots and having its inward movement limited by the same, jaws located at opposite sides of the screw driver blade and having a limited movement independently of the same, and operating mechanism connected with the aws.

7. A tool of the class described including a barrel or casing, jaws movable into and out of the casing and provided near their outer ends with notches arranged to engage the head of screw at opposite sides thereof, a screw driver blade located between the jaws and having its engaging end arranged adjacent to the said notches, and means for moving the jaws and the screw driver blade lnward and outward, said means permitting a hmited independent movement of the said movable into and out of the outer end of the casing, a rod connected with the said jaws, a sleeve slidable on the inner portion of the barrel or casing and having a fastening device operable in the said slots and connecting the sleeve with the inner portion of the rod, a

(slpring for moving the rod inward, a screwriver blade arranged between the jaws, and means carried by the ja ws for actuating the screw driver blade, said means permitting a limited independent movement of the parts. In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature 1n the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT WHISLER.

Witnesses:

A. E. PALMER, MAJOR A. SPEAKMAN. 

